Device including a printed circuit board which is contacted by depressing a key located at a housing wall which makes an angle with the printed circuit board

Abstract

A device includes a housing, a built-in electric printed circuit board and a set of keys positioned near to a wall of the housing. At least a key portion movable by depression, positioned substantially perpendicularly to the wall, is present inside the housing and, aligned to the key portion, a first moving contact actuator portion, as well as a cooperating contact portion that makes breakable electrical contact with the printed circuit board. The depressible key portion is positioned on a first face of a first portion of an elastic carrier plate inside the housing and the first moving contact actuator portion is positioned on the facing second face. The contact portion is connected to a first face of the elastic carrier plate facing the printed circuit board. A second moving contact actuator portion is present on the second face of the second portion of the elastic carrier plate and is aligned to the contact portion. The first contact actuator portion cooperates with the second contact actuator portion and moves the second contact actuator portion in the direction of the contact portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A device comprising a housing, a built-in electric printed circuit board and at least one key positioned near to a wall of the housing at an angle relative to the printed circuit board, said at least one key comprising at least a movable key portion that can be depressed substantially perpendicularly to said wall, a movable first contact actuator portion aligned to the movable key portion inside the housing, and a movable contact portion cooperating with the movable key portion for making breakable electrical contact with electrically conducting parts of the printed circuit board, wherein: the key portion is located on a first face of a first part of an elastic carrier plate located near to said wall inside the housing,   the first contact actuator portion is located on an opposite second face (27-2) of the first part of the elastic carrier plate,   the contact portion is connected to the first face of the elastic carrier plate turned towards the printed circuit board,   a movable second contact actuator portion is located on the second face of the second part of said elastic carrier plate and aligned to the contact portion, and   the first and second contact actuator portions are arranged to cooperate such that when the key portion is depressed the first contact actuator portion moves in a first direction, and in response to this movement the second contact actuator portion moves in a second direction causing the contact portion to move towards the printed circuit board.   
     
     
       2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the first and second contact actuator portions form protrusions on the second face of the elastic carrier plate, each of the protrusions having a free end turned away from the carrier plate,   the free end of the protrusion of the first contact actuator portion is located near to the free end of the protrusion of the second contact actuator portion, and   the first and second contact actuator portions are further arranged to cooperate such that when the first contact actuator portion moves in the first direction the protrusion of the first contact actuator portion comes in physical contact with the protrusion of the second contact actuator portion.   
     
     
       3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein: the first contact actuator portion near to the free end thereof has the shape of a rounded off cone, and   the second contact actuator portion near to the free end thereof and near to the free end of the first contact actuator portion has a face that is at an angle relative to the first direction.   
     
     
       4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second parts of the elastic carrier plate are connected by an integral hinge comprising a thinned part of the elastic carrier plate. 
     
     
       5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a spring clip fixes the first part of the elastic carrier plate near to said wall of the housing in a position at an angle relative to the second part of the carrier plate. 
     
     
       6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the device has a front wall parallel with the printed circuit board, and   a set of front keys depressible substantially perpendicularly to the front wall is present in the front wall, each of the front keys having a depressible front key portion that can be moved onto the second face of the second part of the elastic carrier plate, and a front key contact portion aligned to the front key portion is present on the first face of the second part of the elastic carrier plate.